1. Technical Field.
This invention relates generally to lighting fixtures, and more particularly to a small portable light that attaches to an embroidery hoop, stretcher-bar, needlework frame, or other such stitchery implement.
2. Background Information.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,042 to Zeller describes a portable light that mounts directly on a book. Fabricated of plastic in a small, lightweight configuration, the light includes a lamp-supporting tubular neck mounted pivotally on a capsular base. Two clamping members molded integrally with the base cooperate as a large paper clip to grip the pages or cover of a book. That enables the light to support itself on the book without adding appreciable weight so one can use it to read in bed with just a small cone of light.
But the paper-clip clamping arrangement does not work with a stitchery hoop. It fails to grip the hoop securely. Also, the clamping members occupy an interfering position over the workpiece. Nevertheless, the lightweight and delicate miniature appearance of the Zeller book light make a stitchery-hoop counterpart desirable.
The problem is that a suitable design for such a counterpart is not obvious. Furthermore, existing clamping arrangements, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,667 to Selden, do not make it obvious. One could remove the goosenecks 18 and 20 from the Selden base member 10, somehow attach the Zeller tubular arm 4 in their place, and then clamp the Selden clamp member 12 to the stitchery hoop. But that results in a large, bulky, heavy, unwieldy, and relatively expensive arrangement that fails to retain the Zeller switching arrangement. Moreover, it detracts from the delicate miniature appearance.
Similarly, one could remove the stem 8 from the music stand light holder described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,847,051 to Zabach, and then somehow attach the Zeller tubular neck 4. But that is just as unworkable for basically the same reasons. Similarly, attaching the Zeller tubular arm 4 in place of the tube 4 in Italian Pat. No. 284368 to Perazzone does not work either. Thus, stitchery enthusiasts need a miniature light with a suitable clamping arrangement for stitchery hoops and other such implements.